Multimedia Review

Addendum

I am interjecting Bill_C's review to note that while this model is in the predominate military scale of 1/35, that makes it close to 1/32, which is No. 1 scale in model railroading. This model fits perfectly into the steam and transition eras, and is suitable for non-military railway subjects. [Ed.]

introduction

For some time now, the Czech Republic's Plus Model has been striving to reproduce the WW2 era in 1/35th scale in astonishing detail. Plus has a large and ever-expanding catalog of accessories that bring a diorama to life. Want some factory machinery for a ruin, or some kitchen appliances for the inside of a house? Plus has them. Their latest addition will be good for railroad dioramas or for those building armored trains or flatcars mounted with tanks & other ordnance: a replica railroad signal, complete with wiring and chain-operated "flag."

inside the box

the review

One thing I like about this kit is it's pretty much "build and use." All the parts and materials are included except glue and paint, and once it's done, you can drop it into almost any WW2 railroad situation. I have several rail cars I'm working on, and I can easily see this signal standing next to the tracks.

The casting is all quite crisp, though there is a fairly great amount of flash that will need to be cleaned up. The detailing is quite impressive, with little left to the imagination. The parts are carefully-packed in bubble wrap, and none appeared to be damaged in the review sample sent me.

There's a nice amount of photo etch, and the length of chain beats out PE chains that look simply awful. The instructions are mostly visual, and leave something to be desired: they call for "fishing line" to be used along both sides of the pole, but there's no indication of this in the box cover photo. In fact, the stanchions aren't even shown in the photo at all.

And when first prepping for the build, be sure you de-grease the resin parts thoroughly. The mold release agent was very pronounced on the kit I received. Not unusual with resin, but if you're normally not a resin builder, be sure to soak these parts in some Blech Wite or other product.

conclusion

The issues with the instructions aren't fatal, and overall the kit looks like it will be a welcome addition to the growing 1/35th scale railroad modeling sector of the hobby.

Thanks to Plus Model for providing this review sample. Be sure to mention you saw it reviewed on RailRoadModeling when ordering.

SUMMARY

Highs: Detailed casting, real length of chain instead of PE, great photo etch details.Lows: Not for the beginner. Instructions could be clearer. A bit pricy, but a lot of detail.Verdict: Another great addition to the World in Miniature from Plus Models.